On the ninth day of the eighth moon, like new students showing up for the first school assembly, some 52 new staff members, both academic and non-academic, trooped into the Council Chamber, an august hall normally reserved for Council deliberations, for the start of their Orientation Day. The choice of venue is indicative of how much importance the university attaches to the new staff. It underlines the belief that HKUST is great because its people are great.

The senior administration leaders came out in force, including most of the vice-presidents and deans. From the President on down, senior administrators took turns to familiarize the newcomers with the constituent units that together form a seamless HKUST.

Regardless of which department the new members are tethered to, this get-acquainted meeting is part of the university's effort to forge the "1-HKUST" spirit, turning the university into a close-knit community that exemplifies the noble ideal "Out of Many, One."

The Orientation, hosted by Human Resources colleagues, was a tightly organized all-day affair, with break-out sessions to cater to different groups. No orientation is complete without a buffet lunch—they say that the quickest way to a new employee's heart is through the stomach. And what better way to walk off the lunch then a "Discover HKUST" campus tour, up and down the scenic paths !